Wednesday, March 14, 2012

9:22 AM

Dane County Judge Richard Niess today granted the GAB more time to finish its review of recall petitions, which would likely result in recall primaries on May 8 and general elections on June 5.

The GAB sought and was granted an extension to March 30 to finish its review of petitions against Gov. Scott Walker and Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch.

Niess originally gave the GAB an extension to March 19 to finish reviewing the recall petitions against Walker, Kleefisch and four GOP state senators.

But the agency said in a court filing it wouldn't be finished by that deadline. It has completed the reviews of the recall petitions filed against four GOP state senators and has done everything on the Walker and Kleefisch petitions except its check for duplicate signatures.

The agency says it will be able to finish a “sufficient portion” of those checks in time to be able to decide by March 30 whether recall elections should proceed against Walker and Kleefisch.

The filing also argued it’s in the public interest to hold all six elections -- if certified -- on the same day and that a delay also be granted to avoid holding a general election the day after Memorial Day, which the previous deadline of March 19 would require.